Ultrasounds refer to sound waves with frequencies higher than the upper limit of human adult hearing, an average of which is approximately 20,000 hertz. Ultrasounds have been used in various fields, including therapeutic and diagnostic fields. One popular diagnostic application is ultrasound imaging, which creates images of internal body structures, such as internal organs, vessels, bones and muscles, etc. When ultrasounds pulses are sent into tissues inside the body, due to the different acoustic impedances of the tissues, the ultrasounds will be reflected anywhere there are changes in the acoustic impedance. The return sound waves will be converted into electrical pulses and processed into a digital image for display. For example, obstetric/prenatal ultrasound is a widely used technique in pregnancy examination, which uses ultrasound waves to create visual images of the developing embryo or fetus in the mother's womb.
Conventional ultrasound diagnostic devices usually have a computer with a large sized case having different components installed therein. Those components are scattered inside the case and are connected by various cables. In the conventional ultrasound diagnostic devices, however, the scattered distribution and assembly of various components and connecting cables may interfere transmission of ultrasound and electrical pulses. In addition, the structural layout in the conventional ultrasound diagnostic devices may negatively affect heat dissipation, compromising overall device performance and imaging quality. Moreover, the above scattered layout makes it difficult and inconvenient for a technician to maintain, inspect, and repair components inside the computer case. For example, inspection and repair of certain components often requires disassembly of neighboring components, sometimes even the whole device. Furthermore, as some components are permanently secured onto an interior surface of the casing or manufactured as part of the casing, repair personnel often have to squat down to reach the components inside the casing.
Thus, there is a need to develop ultrasonic diagnostic systems and apparatus that reduce interferences in ultrasonic and electrical pulses, provide efficient heat dissipation, allow easy disassembly, assembly, and maintenance, and overcome the limitations of conventional ultrasound diagnostic devices.